Chapter 22: Not Running

A thoroughly exhausted and dripping wet Adalia jumped through the window into her room in Kel's suite.

Grabbing some clean clothes, she walked into the washroom, which just happened to have a bath filled with hot water waiting. Blessing the servants Adalia stripped and slipped in.

What just happened? Closing her eyes, she ran her hand over her lips, remembering the feeling of Rye's lips on hers. She blushed, and laid a hand against her flaming face. That wasn't so bad… but am I ready to be in that kind of a relationship? I feel like this is happening too early or … I don't know. Rye is my friend. But I like him more than as just a friend…this is too confusing.

After a long while, Adalia reluctantly jumped out of the bath and threw on some breeches and a shirt. She had resolved to forget about it, and deal with Rye when she saw him.

Lying down on her bed, she heard a tentative knock on the door. "Adalia? It's Kel. I thought you might want dinner."

"Come in." Adalia called. She smiled when she saw Kel enter, carrying a large tray teeming with hot food.

"Thankyou soo much!"

"That's ok. I didn't see you at lunch or dinner, so I guessed you would be hungry." Kel smiled as she set down the food on Adalia's desk, and sat down on the bed.

Adalia realised just how hungry she was when she saw the food. Strange how that always happens… she mused. She didn't notice that Kel was sitting on her bed until she had slowed down to a more normal pace of eating. Picking up a piece of bread, she glanced questioningly at Kel.

"I was wondering if you needed to talk to someone." Kel asked lightly, gazing intently into Adalia's violet eyes.

Adalia absent-mindedly tore a piece off the bread and popped it into her mouth, thinking quickly. She needed to find some way of bringing a certain subject up so that Kel didn't realise she was doing it. "When does the Progress start?"

Kel's brow furrowed slightly, and Adalia could tell that this was from confusion, but Kel humoured her. "A week from today. First Company of the King's Own are escorting them out."

Adalia picked up some grapes and started throwing them in her mouth, "What was the last one like when you were a squire?"

Kel's eyes glazed over and Adalia got the distinct feeling that her knight master was reliving some moments of the event, "Interesting. Raoul spent most of his time avoiding it. I have to warn you, I intend to as well. There are a lot of gossips with nothing else to do but snoop in other people's business. Oh, and I did a lot of jousting against knights."

"Thank the gods that you don't want to hover for ages! From what I've heard the banquets are boring, and I would have to serve you, wouldn't I? Not to mention it would be better to be out hunting something."

Kel laughed, "Yes."

Adalia nodded. "You said there were a lot of gossips. What did they say about you?"

A small grin touched Kel's face, "Mostly my 'secret' relationship with another squire. Cleon was his name. I thought that I loved him, but when I met him again after we were separated a while I realised that I did not feel the same as I once did. Nothing happened between us."

Keeping her face inscrutable, she asked lightly, "How did you realise it was just a crush and not love?"

Kel looked thoughtful, "Hmm. It felt like love at the time, but the feeling left after we had been apart for a few months. I found love with Dom. I thought it was just a crush, but the crush lasted years and the feelings just got more intense. I guess that is the difference."

I guess that is what I wanted to know, but it doesn't exactly help me now. Adalia thought sadly. She fumbled around for a logical conversation to follow this, to continue her pretence of not being specially interested in this subject, and said, "Wait a second. You just said that you jousted. Against knights."

"Yes, I did."

"I hope you do not expect me to do that!" Adalia replied, horrified.

Kel smiled mysteriously, "Not yet, at least. You need just a tad more practise." And with that Kel jumped up off the bed, collected the now empty tray and walked out.

Adalia gulped, purple eyes wide. The Goddess would become ugly before she would willingly joust other nights.

Frowning, she wiggled underneath her sheets and closed her eyes.

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Yet again, insanely early in the morning, Adalia was rubbing her eyes and grumbling while Kel was banging on her door. "What?"

"Adalia, get up, grab your pack and saddle up Anika and Sora. Third Company has been called out on a mission." With that Kel strode away.

Adalia instantly jumped out of bed, musing I know I always wear my clothes to bed for a good reason. Having already been dressed, it only took her a few seconds to splash her face and tie up her hair. Sprinting out of the room she grabbed the pack that Kel said to get ready should a situation like this arise.

While jogging down to the stables, Adalia whispered to Shard, "Could you tell Rye goodbye from me?"

Shard squeaked an affirmative and Adalia felt relieved as she burst into the stables, greeting both her horses directly. She quickly saddled them, explaining the situation. She didn't bother to lead Anika by a rope, knowing that this wouldn't be so strange in the palace where most horses were treated as equals, not to mention probably more intelligent than two-leggers, and she jumped on Sora, asking him to trot over to where Third Company was assembling.

Adalia talked to Peachblossom, asking directions to Kel, which allowed her to find the knight quickly. Kel gave her an approving nod and then turned back to inspecting the soldiers. Adalia got a violent fright when a very familiar voice called her name.

Jumping down from Sora, she asked the horses to stay where they were while she ran over to the trees. She couldn't help but smile when she saw a dishevelled Rye beckoning to her from behind a tree that would ensure that none of the soldiers would see her.

When she was close enough, she started to ask, "What are you…"

She never would finish that question, because when she got close enough Rye pulled her into his arms, and then gazed intently into her eyes, "I'll miss you." And with that he eased his lips over hers, kissing her softly.

Adalia felt her heartbeat speed up as Rye pulled her into his arms. During the kiss she was vividly aware of Rye's hands, which were wrapped around her waist, and her own, one entwined in his hair, the other wrapped around his neck.

They broke apart reluctantly when Shard squeaked in indignation because it was being squashed. Adalia rested her head against his chest, gathering herself to stop tears, and whispered, "I will miss you too."

Adalia could just see that there were much more men mulling about in the meeting place and she reluctantly pulled away from Rye, and then looked into Rye's grey eyes. "Thanks for… seeing me off."

She fleetingly and softly kissed him back, and then spun around to run back to Sora. I am sad to go, things were just getting interesting… but I can't help but be glad to get away. This is strange. I want to be near him, but I also don't. At least I am not running away. I am performing my duty as a squire.

She saw Rye waving to her as she trotted out the gate on Sora, next to Kel at the front of a long column of soldiers.

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Disclaimer: NOT TP.

I have some news, not much of it is good. I am going on holiday for a week, and unable to access the internet. So there won't be updates until January, but there will be two at once. Thankyou all so much for the reviews, I hope you like this chapter. (Sorry it's a bit short, I have a bad case of writers block)